Yifa
Encyclopedia
Venerable Dr. Yifa, Ph.D （依法法師）(1959-) is a Taiwan
ese Buddhist nun, scholar, and writer. Ordained by the Fo Guang Shan
Buddhist Order in 1979, Yifa holds a law degree from the Taiwan National University
, a masters in comparative philosophy from the University of Hawaii
and a doctorate in religious studies from Yale University
. She served as a department head and dean of University of the West
during her tenure at the college.
Yifa has participated in many interfaith dialogues such as the Gethsemani Encounter, and contributed to the UNICEF South Asia's Safe Motherhood Project. She is also the current director of the Woodenfish Program
for college students.
In 2003, the United Nations
awarded Yifa its Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award. In October 2006, she was honored at the 9th Annual Juliet Hollister Awards Ceremony, which was held at the United Nations Headquarters. Yifa was recognized along with Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl
, who was honored posthumously.
Venerable Yifa has also been involved in translating sutras from Mandarin to English. Since 2006, Venerable Yifa and others have published translations of the Heart Sutra
, Diamond Sutra
, Ksitigarbha Sutra
, and Amitabha Sutra
.
Venerable Yifa and Fo Guang Shan
seek to make Buddhist practice relevant to contemporary life. She lives at Hsi Lai Temple
in Hacienda Heights, California.
Yifa has also co-authored Benedict's Dharma: Buddhists Reflect On the Role of St. Benedict, along with Norman Fischer, Joseph Goldstein
, Judith Simmer-Brown, David Steindl-Rast, and editor Patrick J. Henry.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese Buddhist nun, scholar, and writer. Ordained by the Fo Guang Shan
Fo Guang Shan
Fo Guang Shan is an international Chinese Mahayana Buddhist monastic order based in the Republic of China , and one of the largest Buddhist organizations. The headquarters of Fo Guang Shan, located in Kaohsiung, is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. The organization itself is also one of...
Buddhist Order in 1979, Yifa holds a law degree from the Taiwan National University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
, a masters in comparative philosophy from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
and a doctorate in religious studies from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. She served as a department head and dean of University of the West
University of the West
The University of the West is a university in Rosemead, California. It was founded in 1991 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Buddhist order Fo Guang Shan and Hsi Lai Temple, the North American order headquarters...
during her tenure at the college.
Yifa has participated in many interfaith dialogues such as the Gethsemani Encounter, and contributed to the UNICEF South Asia's Safe Motherhood Project. She is also the current director of the Woodenfish Program
Woodenfish
The Woodenfish Program, known formally as the Humanistic Buddhism Monastic Life Program, or HBMLP, is a program set up by the Taiwan based Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order for college students...
for college students.
In 2003, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
awarded Yifa its Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award. In October 2006, she was honored at the 9th Annual Juliet Hollister Awards Ceremony, which was held at the United Nations Headquarters. Yifa was recognized along with Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl was an American journalist who was kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.At the time of his kidnapping, Pearl served as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, and was based in Mumbai, India. He went to Pakistan as part of an investigation into the alleged links between...
, who was honored posthumously.
Venerable Yifa has also been involved in translating sutras from Mandarin to English. Since 2006, Venerable Yifa and others have published translations of the Heart Sutra
Heart Sutra
The Heart Sūtra is a Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra. Its Sanskrit name literally translates to "Heart of the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom." The Heart Sūtra is often cited as the best known and most popular of all Buddhist scriptures.-Introduction:The Heart Sūtra is a member of the Perfection of...
, Diamond Sutra
Diamond Sutra
The Diamond Sūtra , is a short and well-known Mahāyāna sūtra from the Prajñāpāramitā, or "Perfection of Wisdom" genre, and emphasizes the practice of non-abiding and non-attachment...
, Ksitigarbha Sutra
Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
The Sūtra of The Great Vows of Bodhisattva is one of the more popular Buddhist sutras in Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism. The sutra tells basically of how became a bodhisattva by making great vows to rescue other sentient beings, and a description of how he followed filial piety in his past lifetimes....
, and Amitabha Sutra
Amitabha Sutra
The Amitābha Sūtra is a popular colloquial name for the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra. The Amitābha Sūtra is a Mahāyāna Buddhist text, and it is one of the primary sūtras recited and upheld in the Pure Land Buddhist schools.-History:...
.
Venerable Yifa and Fo Guang Shan
Fo Guang Shan
Fo Guang Shan is an international Chinese Mahayana Buddhist monastic order based in the Republic of China , and one of the largest Buddhist organizations. The headquarters of Fo Guang Shan, located in Kaohsiung, is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. The organization itself is also one of...
seek to make Buddhist practice relevant to contemporary life. She lives at Hsi Lai Temple
Hsi Lai Temple
Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple is a traditional Chinese Buddhist mountain monastery in the United States. It is located on the foothill region of Hacienda Heights, California, USA, a suburb of Los Angeles County...
in Hacienda Heights, California.
List of books
- Authenticity: Clearing the Junk, A Buddhist Perspective
- The Tender Heart: A Buddhist Response to Suffering
- Discernment: Educating the Mind and Spirit
- Safeguarding the Heart: A Buddhist Response to Suffering and September 11
- The Origins of Buddhist Monastic Codes in China: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Chanyuan Qinggui
Yifa has also co-authored Benedict's Dharma: Buddhists Reflect On the Role of St. Benedict, along with Norman Fischer, Joseph Goldstein
Joseph Goldstein
Joseph Goldstein is one of the first American vipassana teachers , co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society with Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg, contemporary author of numerous popular books on Buddhism , resident guiding teacher at IMS, and leader of retreats worldwide on insight and...
, Judith Simmer-Brown, David Steindl-Rast, and editor Patrick J. Henry.